They Tell Me I'm Not Alone
by Riyu Lunin
Summary: At an early age, Ryou might've already found his soulmate. Until the day they were pulled apart. One piece to the two-piece puzzle was lost. [AU, yaoi]
1. A Kiss Under Each Eye

Well then, the start of my first fan fiction. First of all, I must give credit where credit is due. A good friend of mine inspired this. She once told me three was a perfect number, and that was the basis for her next fanfic. Thank you, Lavender Insanity, for it spawned my will to write.

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is not mine... God, would you stop throwing shoes at me?! I ADMITTED IT! IT ISN'T MINE, YOU HEAR?! Believe me, this is the only time you'll hear it, 'cause it really isn't necessary for me to repeat myself.

* * *

"Gimme! Gimme gimme GIMMEEEEEEEE!" A high-pitched voice shrieked as the owner jumped at another chance to grab what was set within his sights.

"Nuh uh. The rules ARE you have to get it for yourself!" A slightly more boyish voice answered, laughing happily and raising the object just within reach of his shorter companion. What was it? A simple, rather thick string baring the weight of three large, round beads, all of them a brilliant shade of carnation pink.

"Come ooooon!" The shorter let out a shrill cry and jumped, but this time, lost his balance on the unceremonious landing and sent them both toppling to the dirt. Feeling only slightly dazed, the smaller took the chance and crawled over, climbing on top of his friend and sitting on his stomach.

"Ryou... you really want it?" The elder of the two asked softly.

Ryou nodded, looking down from his seated position with big, watery emerald eyes. The boy beneath him smiled up, leaning up on one elbow just enough to place the charm around Ryou's neck with his free hand.

"That's fine," he said sweetly, "I made it for you anyways."

He frowned as he noticed the tears brimming his friend's eyes and leaned up to place a gentle kiss just under each eye. "Don't cry," he pleaded sadly. He gently toyed with the beads now hung around the other's neck and stared up intently. Maybe it was wrong to look at such innocence this way.

But it was undeniable. The boy sitting upon his stomach was an angel. An adorable and untainted spirit; anything and everything was he willing to give to make sure he was never hurt. To make sure he never felt unloved and alone. Never would he deserve such pain.

Ryou examined the beads with wide, curious eyes, admiring how stunning they were. "It's the best gift ever," he murmured, smiling happily. "I'll treasure it always."

Seeing Ryou happy was always worth it. "You do that, kid," he replied, winking up at the smaller who giggled.

It turned out that day those very beads were unlucky. So terribly unlucky for poor little Ryou and his beloved best friend.

Ryou rolled off and curled up beside his companion, who placed an arm around him. And in the grass, they lay like that on a beautiful summer day, two pieces of a puzzle; peaceful and happy in the others presence. Complete.

He went on holding him close, staring at the sky thoughtfully. "Hey Ryou?"

"Yes?" The other said half-asleep, blinking cutely.

"What would you say if I told you I could take you away from this place? Just the two of us..." he finished softly.

The small, frail boy cuddled into his side, pondering for a moment. He looked up after a while, eyes confused and inquiring. "Would you really?" It came out in a breathy whisper, but it truly held such hope.

"Yes. I would."

Silence. It worried him. Though the younger had said nothing to this, he was almost sure those words would shun and insult him for being so stupid. Why had he even asked? Could he truly be that selfish? Stupid, stupid, stupid...

"Please."

That simple one-worded plea made his eyes widen. Could Ryou be serious? Dragging him away from the things he loved... he felt horrible. Until he got older, it could wait. Couldn't it? "Tell you what... in five years, I'll ask you the same question again. If the answer is still yes, I will carry out my promise."

The white-haired child buried his nose in the elder's neck and nodded slightly. "Promise, promise?"

"Always."

He agreed happily and curled up, suddenly shivering despite the warm summer day. The taller wrapped both arms around him, whispering words of comfort. Soon after, inhaling deeply the mixed scent of grass and peach scented shampoo, Ryou was asleep. He sighed and pulled the angel closer almost possessively.

"I love him," he stated softly, speaking to none other than the graceful breeze. He laughed shortly and placed a kiss upon the sleeping Ryou's forehead. "Nothing will change that."

Unable to will himself to sleep, he settled for being there to hold the younger when he woke up.

Everything couldn't have been more perfect. He would run away with Ryou. Away from this godforsaken place.

Of course, the child clamped to his side was much too young. And maybe, just maybe, he was too. In five years, Ryou would be fourteen and he would be eighteen. For now, he would be content with wonderful moments like this.

Reflecting on the past, he had no regrets. Moving here had been one of the best things he had ever done. Well, one of the best things his mom had ever made him do. Meeting Ryou had been one of the best instances in his lifetime.

_Walking up a dirt road, he kicked a rock in a random direction. How he despised this place. Why in the world did his mom make him move here?!_

_And then, a clear sound broke him of his anger and made him frown. Crying? He looked around, only to see nothing. Nothing but a few lone houses. So where was it coming from?_

"_Hello?" He asked, quite stupidly, expecting someone to answer. _

_It continued, as he searched for the source. And it suddenly hit him. Or rather, fell on him._

_Something distinctly human had fallen out of one of the trees and landed on him. Ouch. He groaned unhappily as whatever had fallen hurriedly got off. "I'm so sorry!" A soft voice apologized quickly. That was when he looked up to find his angel. Fallen angel, mind you._

_His mouth formed a silent 'oh' as he sat up and blinked. What a cute little kid. Maybe six or so, from the looks of it. "It's fine," he said shortly, standing up and brushing himself off. _

_The short boy smiled sadly and nodded, sniffling and hiccupping._

_He smiled sweetly and wiped the tears away from each eye, nodding back to the boy. "What's your name?"_

"_Ryou," he whispered back shyly, adverting his gaze._

"_Why were you crying, Ryou?"_

"_I'm all alone."_

It had been a fabulous friendship from there on out.

Now, like it was said before; that simple necklace came with a horrible amount of bad luck that day. Starting with...

"Ryou! Ryou, where are you?!" It was a woman's voice. His eyes narrowed dangerously. Who would dare to ruin his good mood now? Of all days, couldn't they just be left alone?

And apparently, they had been found.

She was a slightly hefty woman, red hair looking disheveled and sticky, almost. With a slender face, high cheek bones, and forest green eyes, she looked familiar. Familiar and apparently very upset with him.

She swiftly kicked him in the side that was left exposed, having Ryou on the other, emitting a rage-filled cry as she did so. She grabbed Ryou's arm and pulled him up, as the wounded young man on the ground turned over and spit blood up onto the grass. "Why..."

"You FREAK!" She interrupted with a shriek of disgust, the now very much awake Ryou watching with horror-filled eyes. Delivering another kick to his ribs, he screamed hoarsely as it became harder to breathe. His chest heaved as more blood leaked from his lips and dripped quite depressingly onto the grass. "You bitch..." he spat out, clutching his aching side as if to will the pain away.

"I trusted you and that whore that you call a mother! And here you are, you gay, pathetic, piece of shit trying to influence Ryou as well! You were going to try and bed him, weren't you? You disgusting, vile-"

"Mom, stop!"

And that's when it hit him. He had seen this woman before. It was Ryou's mother.

"Shut up, Ryou!" She screeched angrily, throwing him aside and returning to kick him once again. And it ripped a scream from his throat. A terrifying shriek that hushed the wind and echoed throughout the area. Ryou watched, tears pouring freely now. He couldn't stop it. There was no way to stop her until she was satisfied.

She returned to deliver another...

when Ryou threw his body over his companion's, and received the kick for him. He couldn't stop it; so he would suffer as well.

He cried out. The pain that ripped through his frail body was immeasurable. But he would never regret it.

Anything to save his beloved from more pain. Maybe his mother had had enough... maybe she would stop now...

"Ryou... Ryou, baby, no... Why did you do that, sweetie? Come on, answer me..." Truth be told, that voice sounded more afraid of going to prison than concerned for his condition. It hurt... but he had to know what had happened to his friend. A chubby hand ran down his cheek, as if to comfort him.

"How the... fuck could you?" The bleeding figure asked in disbelief. "Y-you kicked your... own son. R-Ryou..." he wheezed out, coughing and hacking.

She shot a narrow glare at him. "Stay away from him. You will stay away from my son."

With that, she seemingly disappeared, leaving the two alone on the ground. Ryou carefully crawled over to his friend's body, sobbing quietly. He grasped a hand in his own and squeezed it reassuringly, mouthing "I'm sorry." while hiccupping.

Despite the pain. Despite the agony. The elder of the two leaned up and carefully placed a kiss just under each eye, leaving soft marks with the blood on his lips.

The last thing he saw that day was Ryou being carried away, kicking and screaming, by a large man.

* * *

"Jeez, did you hear? He's got three broken ribs and a punctured lung!"

"Yeah, I know! Ryou's mother should be locked away! That bitch is crazy!"

"I think he's going to die," a monotone voice replied.

He knew where he was then. A hospital. The moment he regained his senses, he winced at the pain in his chest and side. Could she really have done that much damage? It sure felt like it. As soon as the three in the room noticed he was awake, two rushed to his side, sticking their faces as close as possible.

"You could've been killed, dipshit! Everyone knows that his mom is totally against 'her Ryou' being touched."

"Way to warn me when I already got the shit kicked out of me," he replied unenthusiastically, rubbing his temple. This place was very bright. That bothered him AND gave him a headache!

"She kicks hard," he said softly, sending the other three into a fit of laughter. Now that he thought about it, that woman looked nothing like Ryou. "Was that really his mother?"

"Well," one started, "she's not his real mom. She died long before the two of you met."

"Yep, Yami's right! That red-headed whale is his stepmother." Another called Duke rang out, prodding the bedridden young man and smiling.

"She sure is a beached whale, isn't she?"

His body shook with quiet laughter as he pondered this. But then, he remembered what had happened to Ryou. His body shot up, ignoring the pain it caused, his eyes wide. He grabbed Yami by the collar of his shirt and snarled.

"Where is Ryou?"

He chuckled shortly, not at all surprised by the outburst. "He's most definitely not in this hospital."

Well damn. That posed a problem. "Where..."

"We don't know," the monotone voice answered from the table across the room. On it sat Seto, legs dangling off the side. He looked up, icy blue eyes devoid of emotion. "If we did, don't you think we would bring him here?"

He sighed softly and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know. So how long am I stuck here?" He asked distastefully.

It was Duke's turn to speak up. "A week at most. Your mom said sorry for not being able to come see you yet. She's working late, apparently."

He figured as much. She would never take time off work for anything. Not even if he had died and this had turned out to be a funeral instead.

"Ryou, sweetheart! It's time for dinner! Come down now, ok?"

Ryou had locked himself in his room and refused to come out. Mainly because of the witch of a stepmother waiting outside his door. He was safe here. But what about his friend?

That day had been absolutely horrible. To watch him be hurt like that... it was like needles stabbing at his heart. Why did his father have to love such an awful, awful person?

His eyes were dry, red, and puffy now; no more tears to cry, as it were. He had watched his best friend endure what was truly meant for him instead. And he knew all too well how hard he was kicked each time. Devastatingly.

Ever since that woman had entered his life, thanks to his oblivious father, he knew she was an evil and corrupted soul. Even trying to see the good in her failed miserably. There was no good to find.

What kept him from telling his father?

No sooner had he been dragged home had she threatened him. But, it took time to get through to him.

"_I'll beat you until you can barely breathe, boy."_

_Nothing. He stared up at her defiantly._

"_I'll kill you."_

_Still nothing. And then, her rather primitive brain formed an idea. He wouldn't respond to threats on his life, so..._

"_I'll kill your little friend."_

_That struck a nerve._

"_Y-you wouldn't!"_

"_I would."_

Although, he wondered greatly why she had always called his friend gay. They hugged and cuddled often, but did that really make them homosexual?

He loved him so much... why did she have to be so mean? What if she killed him, despite his keeping quiet about what she had done?

His eyes found new tears to spill as he curled up into a ball and sobbed his heart out. A knock on his door was heard, and then a muffled voice on the other end.

"Get out here," his stepmother demanded calmly, "or I will break down this door." He had no doubt that she could. And would without hesitation. "Your stupid father is worried. Now get out here!" She screeched, yet only loud enough for him to hear so, he was sure, his father wouldn't hear.

"Don't say that about my dad..." he whispered helplessly. Realizing he wouldn't come out, she sighed heavily and left, offering 'he said he was feeling a little sick' as the excuse as to why he wouldn't come down as she entered the kitchen.

He fingered the pink beads around his neck and smiled sadly, wishing his best friend was here. To place a kiss just under each emerald eye and tell him it would be ok.

"I'm sorry, Bakura. I'm so sorry..."

They saw each other but twice... before Bakura disappeared.

When his mother had found out exactly what had happened to him, she was furious. No matter how many times she told Bakura to stay away from Ryou, he refused to do so.

Ryou was currently hanging out the side of his bedroom window, a month or so after the incident, looking frightened beyond belief.

"Come on, Ryou! Jump!" Said the figure below him, perhaps twenty feet or so. He was asking the impossible. He couldn't do it!

"I'm too scared," he whispered pitifully, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I'll catch you."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now jump!"

He slowly counted to three, and jumped, to be caught by a foolishly grinning Bakura, who fell down onto his butt with Ryou in his arms. Pushing aside the fact that his ribs still hurt, he leaned down and placed a kiss just under each eye.

"It'll be ok."

That night, they walked in silence to the lake. Held close by the other, Ryou just had to ask. He was so curious...

"Why does my stepmother... call you gay?" He asked innocently.

And he couldn't answer. He couldn't answer that godforsaken question, so he placed a kiss just under each of Ryou's eyes and gritted his teeth.

Ryou blinked. Bakura only did that when he was crying. He wasn't crying now...

But Bakura was.

The day after, an argument broke out in Bakura's household. His mother once again gave him a firm order to stay away from Ryou. Being defiant was his downfall.

And so it came to be. They moved away.

Since her thirteen year old son resisted, she bound his hands and shoved him in the backseat while Ryou watched. He was helpless, soon to be all alone. Again. As the car drove off, Bakura mouthed to him from the back window two, simple words.

"Never forget."

* * *

Gee... can't have fluff without angst. I feel bad now. I plan on chapters being much longer after this. I just needed a starter and considering I fit everything I wanted to in perfectly, this is all there is as a first chapter.

Adrian: Her one and only muse here. -nods- Anyways, read and review. We don't demand them, we just enjoy them.


	2. Sixteen Words To Heartbreak

They Tell Me I'm Not Alone

By Riyu Lunin

(Review replies at bottom of page.)

Chapter 2: Sixteen Words To Heartbreak

* * *

_Nothing was ever really the same._

_And I could never forget. Often times I cried myself to sleep, remembering. I might've been insane. Because whenever I closed my eyes, I could see him._

_But I always had to remember. He had told me to._

"Ryou! Would you mind bringing up my bag?"

"Yeah, Dad," he sighed, waving to his father to show that he would, "of course."

Well past midnight, Ryou grabbed his bag and his father's, tucking one under each arm carefully. Thus began the trek up to the manor.

It was a dull and morbid house; three floors along with an attic and basement, probably all long overdue for a thorough cleaning.

The walls outside were a tarnished white, probably a spectacular color in years gone by, and a high arch was held over the entryway by two marble pillars, cobwebs clinging to what seemed like every expanse imaginable. It frightened him. Who knew when those age-old columns would decide to collapse, bringing down the stone arch with it and crushing whatever terribly unlucky person might be standing under it?

Shaking off the paranoia for the time being, he stepped up to the door of their new house. This was it.

"Come here, sweetie!"

He turned around quickly, eyes filled with fear, to see his portly stepmother under a streetlight, lugging a ridiculously large trunk up the hill. Well, trying to, anyways. He considered running. He knew what she wanted. But he couldn't, glued to spot with a frightened look set into his face.

"Y-Yes, Stepmother?" (A/N: Ooo... sounds like another Cinderella, huh?)

She stopped short, dropping the handle to the trunk with a loud 'thud' and grinning. She strolled up to where Ryou was standing and smiled. The kind of smile that told him he was in hell. She patted his shoulder twice and then removed a small plastic bottle of hand sanitizer from her purse. Rubbing some on her hands, her smile became a full-fledged grin.

It was her way of saying he was too filthy to be touched.

"You'll bring that up for me, won't you?" She asked in a low, mockingly sweet voice. She was a lady who strived for elegance. She would flaunt her beauty and string along people with her petite charm. What there was, or lack thereof, was far from petite and beautiful. More along the lines of slimy.

The result? A chalky, pale faced woman who somewhat resembled a clown, or so Ryou had decided. She would actually be presentable if she didn't apply make-up to the point that it caked to her face.

"Yes," he replied sadly. No sooner had he spoken, did she hook her left leg in between his ankles and pulled, making him lose balance.

He toppled to the dirt, the bags that had been so carefully held under each thin arm falling with him. He could feel the tears coming again. 'Don't cry,' he begged himself. 'Just don't let her see you spill more tears. She'll have a reason to hurt you again.'

She stared down at him, lackluster green eyes glinting in sick amusement. She waddled off into the house without another word.

And he sobbed, for what seemed like forever, on the dirt that lead to his new home.

Finally gaining control over himself, he sat up, wiping his eyes and staring blankly at a flickering lamppost across the way. He hugged his knees to his chest and sighed. "Please..."

It sounded so terrified and hopeless. But then, he found the final truth in the fact that there was no reply. He really was all alone.

Slowly getting to his feet, he rubbed his shoulder and picked up the bags that had fallen. He placed them near the door and walked back down the dirt slope, ready to try and drag her trunk up; a seemingly impossible task in all it's entirety.

Now, being a lanky, frail child had always stuck with him, even as he grew into a young man. It was always people's eyes on him. When he found the courage to walk down the street, they stared. Everywhere he would look, he would find at least one pair of hollow eyes.

Nevertheless, the years had turned him into a beautiful creature. But, the circumstances were never kind on his mind. He was afraid of people. All their staring made him feel filthy; he always knew that every one had their own horrible opinion about what he was.

And they did. They _always_ did. It was human nature. Once, he would always remember the day splendidly, he had been lying in the grass at a park. Not truly knowing what he had been doing there, but it did in fact seem like a wonderful place to escape.

_Lying in the cool, lush grass on a beautiful spring day was what had brought him the peace he needed. He kept his eyes closed, though, for one reason. If he couldn't see people, he wouldn't feel frightened. If he couldn't see the bad things, they couldn't get him._

_Until, a pudgy little boy and another tall, stick-figure girl wandered over, and looked down at him. He opened his eyes, aware of the prior footsteps, and stared back up at them, blinking curiously as they studied him critically. The boy bent down first and poked him in the side, making him jump, eyes wide. He sat up immediately, trying to back away. _

"_He's funny!" The boy guffawed, pointing a round, plump finger in his direction._

_The girl grinned and squatted down, looking Ryou over. "What's wrong? You seem frightened," she stated smugly, raising an eyebrow. He backed up once more, shutting his eyes. He could hear her moving closer. But why... why wouldn't they just go away?_

"_You have really pretty hair..." she murmured, reaching out to touch it. He opened his eyes quickly and stared, ducking away from her hand._

"_You're a freak! Are you a boy or girl?! Is that a wig?!" She finally screeched in annoyance, leaping after him. She grabbed his hair and pulled. Right then, he could've cried. But he was used to it, after all. It was one of his mother's favorite pastimes. _

_He ran from the park that day, terribly horrified and embarrassed as they shouted after him. Why couldn't people just... leave him alone?_

In truth, his stepmother had caused it. Implanting a deep fear in him. Force-feeding him the knowledge that she was doing the best for him; that she was the only one who knew how he felt. That by hurting him, she was saving him from _them_.

He sighed deeply and gave the trunk's handle a hard tug. It wasn't enough. Sleepily, he tried again, with the same result. It wouldn't budge. He grasped the handle once again and pulled. Yet, this time, his hands slipped and he stumbled backwards, landing on the ground with a soft 'uff!'

It was impossible! "She packed... rocks," he said strangely, folding his hands in his lap.

"I have to tell her I couldn't do it. Maybe... she'll understand?" It was as likely as millions of clones of his stepmother raining from the sky and proceeding to take over the world. Well, what was left of it. With the impact of millions of big buxom, clown women falling everywhere, the world might resemble a great, big ball of Swiss cheese.

Yes. That was it.

Ryou smiled sadly and trudged back up to the house, then beginning the timid search for his stepmother. Maybe he would get lucky. Maybe his father would be with her and she wouldn't be able to hurt him right away.

He searched room after room, only to find them all barren and dusty. Well, it wasn't all that odd. This house had been on the market for years; with no offers to buy it. Was it because of a murder that was committed there? No. Was it because of terrible, bloodcurdling screams ringing out from the house at exactly midnight? Not at all. Was it because the foundation was crumbling and probably wouldn't last another year? Maybe, but that sounded dull, right? The mold practically coating the house like it was a loaf of six month old bread? Could be!

And then, he came to a room near the end of one of the many halls. Slowly opening the door, he peeked inside. What made him so cautious about this door, he did not know. But it turned out he had reason to be.

In the center of the otherwise plain and empty room stood a grand four-poster bed, with a lime-green canopy; and parents sleeping in it. He wanted to vomit. The way his father held her so lovingly made him jealous and sick. The way he saw her through rose-colored glasses and no matter how many times they would be knocked off, he would just pull out another pair.

Return to blissful ignorance.

Like a lion trying to love a frog?

Hmm... not quite. Like a butterfly trying to love a cobra?

Never. Snakes are relatively skinny, Stepmother is not. Besides... how did his dad even relate to a butterfly?

Like an alien trying to love a radioactive mushroom? Sure, it had no relevance at all, but it made Ryou _almost_ smile as he slowly shut the door.

He knew why they had their bed up so soon, anyway. _She_ had pitched an absolute screaming fit over having to sleep on a mattress. Even for only a night. It was expected to be because she always made it sink to the floor. Tired of all the yelling, his father had worked nearly three hours hauling the pieces up and putting it back together. But really. It was worth it, for the sake of his eardrums and those of everyone who resided within a four block radius.

He walked down the hall, down the stairs, and straight to his soon-to-be bedroom. In the middle of the floor lay a new mattress, a baby blue blanket planted on top.

Well, he wouldn't freeze, anyways.

Shortly after removing his shoes, Ryou collapsed, landing on the spring-filled mattress. Looking to the corner of the room with weary eyes, he found his bag had already been brought in. One less thing to worry about then. He never worried about who had been kind enough to do so.

Moments later, limbs exhausted and mind worn-down, he fell asleep. No tears spilled this time.

"Goodnight, Ryou."

* * *

"Get up."

"Mmm...?"

"Get up!"

He opened his eyes to a pair of angry forest green, now staring straight at him. He knew those eyes right away. Ryou gulped audibly, swallowing over what seemed to be a large golf ball suddenly stuck in his throat. What had he done now? His hands self-consciously went to cover the bruises on his arms.

His stepmother simply smiled.

"Trying to hide something from me?" She asked, voice mockingly sweet and inquiring.

He hurriedly shook his head.

"Well then. Did you bring up my trunk like I asked you to, sweetheart?"

Oh no. Oh _no._ His eyes grew wide and he bit his lower lip. He began to shiver again then, the lack of warmth making his body hurt. Yes, that's it. Concentrate on the prickling sensation so that it would hurt less when the first hit was placed.

"Well? I'm waiting for an answer," she stated softly, grabbing hold of his chin, "so tell me."

"I-I..."

"You _didn't_ bring it up, is that it? IS THAT IT?! Did I hit the nail on the head, darling Ryou?"

He winced as her nails dug into the corners of his mouth, moving his head up and down in a nod.

"I thought as much."

She stood, dragging Ryou up as well. It was then she finally noticed his convulsive shivering. "Aww... do you need your pills, sweetheart?" Like a puppet, his head formed the familiar nod once again with the help of her fingers. His breathing became short and choppy.

"Your pills are in my trunk," she said simply.

"B-But..." Now that wasn't true. He had put them in his bag before they left. If only... he could see straight enough, he might be able to find them.

She was lying. "No t-they're not," he said softly.

"What was that?"

"They're-- AH!"

She tossed him to the floor, extracting a cry from pale, supple lips. His right shoulder blade made contact with the wall, a dull 'thud'; nothing more. But _damn_ did it hurt being thrown to the floor. 'Like... a rag doll.'

Ryou felt like he was going to be sick. But this was his chance, wasn't it? He'd dry swallow a pill and everything would be ok, right?

He carefully crawled in the direction of his duffel bag, following the wall to the corner in which it sat. There it was. He unzipped the side-pocket and rummaged around, feeling around for the all too familiar orange bottle.

Tap. Yes.

"I'll allow you to take your pills, but _nothing_ to eat until you get that trunk up here," she suddenly whispered in his ear.

"O-Ok."

She smashed her heel into the middle of Ryou's back, forcing him down. Quickly placing the pill on his tongue, he winced. "How _dare_ you?!"

But he hadn't done anything wrong! He was sure of it! The heel of her black shoes began to feel as though it would impale him. She pressed harder, and harder, and harder... He began to panic. His body had yet to cease shaking; the constant flow of cold becoming harsh and mind-numbing. He couldn't get away.

"Ryou, I'm going to tell you something fun about disobeying me. The more often you do it, the more lessons you get. That means more bruises. You might resemble a grape soon enough," she said venomously, a smirk upturning the corners of her cherry red lips. "Did I turn you into a masochist? Is that? Do you _enjoy_ being in pain?"

"No..." That wasn't it at all.

"Your actions speak louder than your words, sweetheart. Is this going to happen again?" She asked, pushing more weight onto her heel that dug so deeply into his skin. How did his shirt find it's way off anyways? He remembered falling asleep with all his clothes intact.

"N-no," Ryou whispered in reply.

His stepmother let up, only slightly, and chuckled. He suspected that she was done. Raising himself up weakly, he was met with a harsh reality. She slammed her heel right back down with twice as much force, causing Ryou to fall down and his chin to collide with the floor.

He didn't make a sound this time.

"Good boy!" She exclaimed victoriously, leaning down to pat him on the head, and then strolled out of the room. He heard the clack, clack of her high heeled shoes and the snap of the cap on the bottle of sanitizer. Filthy.

He was disgusting. Was that it? Was that why people stared? Why his parents hated him?

It had to be, he decided.

He spotted the pill bottle poking out of his bag. Grabbing it and shaking out another, he dry swallowed it and stood up warily. He'd have to find a way to bring her trunk up. Things would only get worse if he didn't. Pulling a shirt out of his bag, he slipped it on and started out the door. Each step hurt.

Yet eventually, he made it outside. Looking down the hill, he noticed said trunk was no where in sight. His eyes widened. Maybe someone had stolen it? A two-hundred and fifty pound drag queen perhaps? Only such a person could even want his stepmother's clothes. Whatever the case, he might never have to see it again. He'd get beaten for sure, but he might _never_ have to see it again.

Upon entering the house again, what Ryou saw made his knees weak. No...

Her trunk was set only a few feet from the door, out in plain view. Sitting _right there_. She lied, just to hurt him again. Just to see him in pain. Upon hearing the front door close, a familiar red head of hair poked out into the entryway. Seeing Ryou standing there, she grinned.

"Oh, dear. I found my trunk just as soon as you walked out, but I didn't want to waste my time walking _all_ the way down there to tell you. I'm making a special breakfast for the two of us, my husband and I, so I hope you don't mind waiting to eat? I'll leave out whatever's left and you can have it, since he and I will be going out afterwards." With this, her head disappeared beyond the doorway again.

There wouldn't be anything left. She'd stuff herself to the brim just to be pleased with herself that she was driving him to the brink of anorexia. She'd aimed for him to be anemic and she'd hit her target. Ryou figured she'd hit it once again. But really, what did it matter?

A never ending cycle. A complete loop of more and more anguish. She _loved_ hearing him cry; but it was a rare thing, indeed. He only cried when he was alone. When he could say those sixteen words and feel his heart break again.

"I'll place a kiss under each eye and always be there to say I love you."

They were the words inscribed on his pink bead necklace. He had not noticed them for quite some time, but when he turned fourteen, he had once again been alone for his birthday. Studying the necklace in despair, he realized when lined up correctly, this is exactly what those words read.

But Bakura had never come back. He'd killed Ryou's heart by breaking one promise. On the day of his fourteenth birthday, he had expected the best. He'd waited all night and day to be rescued. To be loved again. It never came to be, and something died in him that day.

He became the disgusting, vile, hated creature he knew that he was.

Ryou smiled forlornly. Trudging to his room, he rested his hand on the cold doorknob. All he wanted was to fall back asleep. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Now, something made him anxious. Opening the door slowly, he peered in.

"It can't be..." He murmured in disbelief, stepping inside.

The person leaning against the window pane smiled, waving shortly. "Miss me, kid?"

Ryou was in an absolute state of shock. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again..."

* * *

Author Rant: I finished it! It's been a while, but forgive me? No excuse but my lazy attitude, I guess. Anyways, yeah. Cliffhangers SUCK! You know it, I know it. But gee, how hard is it to figure this one out? Not very. I have the basic outline for this, and the next chapter will be out whenever it's out. Thank 'Science of Selling Yourself Short' and 'River Below' for motivating me to finish this. Good music is a damn good thing.

Review Replies:

**Devi D. 666**:

Thank you, first reviewer person! Here it is! Sorry for the long wait, y'know? I intend on finishing this fic completely, so no worries. No matter how long it takes, I'm a determined little weirdo! O.o Once again, many, many thanks for the review!

**Dark Magician Girl / Hikaru:**

I guess I got the emotion down right, huh? Awesome stuff! I'm uberly happy that you thought it was good! I really tried to make it alright, even if I'm a little inexperienced. Poor Ryou and Bakura indeed! But, I'm really wondering. Would people like a happy or tragic ending? Meh, I'll ponder it later. Thank you for the great review!

**Maruken:**

Yes, Bakura and Ryou/Angst and Fluff go very well together. But, add in a slice of plot twist and desperation, and whatdya get?

Adrian: This fic?

... Well damn. I thought I had it there for a second. I guess I should stop rambling. O.o' Anyways, later! Thank ya!

**DojomistressAmbyChan:**

I think I almost fell over laughing. Oh my god. I read your review and re-read what I wrote again. No offense taken! A few more steps and I could've made Bakura a pedophile! Without even realizing it, too; which is the scary part. And yes, we have the evil stepmother. No, she won't get squished by a house or melt when someone throws water on her. Yeah, it's disappointing. But, I will find a way to make her life a living hell by the time this is over. Someway, somehow. Haha, have a great day! Much praise for the fabulous comment!

**Pork Steak the Grande:**

'Allo there! Well, may I just say, that was some review! I think I cried out of happiness. And no, much to my own dismay, I have never seen 'The Butterfly Effect.' o.o I'll make it a point to rent it later. Yep, long wait for this chapter. Many apologies! As for the evil woman being a redhead... I just picked a color? But yes, it always seems to be redheads that make great 'villains.' Would've been neon green...

Adrian: Had I not talked her out of it.

Yeah, it's true. Much love and peace out! I loved the review, here's the next chapter!

**AnGeL CuDdLeS 16:**

Bwaha, angst is ALMOST as good as fluff, no? I eat it, breathe it, sleep it. Ok, maybe that's a bit excessive... Anyways! I finally got this chapter done, thanks to some great music and another instance of me being grounded! Cute is what I was going for, so GOOD! One of the few people, huh? Well thanks! That totally makes my day! Hope you like the update!

Word Count: 3,655


	3. Porcelain Butterfly

They Tell Me I'm Not Alone

By Riyu Lunin

(Review replies at bottom of page.)

Chapter 3: Porcelain Butterfly

* * *

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again..."

"Yeah, well, I would've shown up sooner; but you were too busy having a panic attack encounter with the whale," he sniffed in disdain.

Ryou giggled softly. "I'm all better now, though..." His ears perked up to hear a deep, annoyed sigh. He blinked curiously. "Really, Seto, I'm fine," he whispered. Said man scoffed and turned away to look out the window. (A/R: Let's all take a minute to sigh in disappointment 'cause it's not Bakura, shall we? -grin-)

"Don't ever say things you don't mean, kid. It's how love is destroyed. You should know that better than anyone."

"I haven't seen you for two years, Seto. Do you really have to be so cold? It's just us, after all," he said simply, walking over to the window. Years after Bakura had left, Seto had been like a big brother of sorts. The caring, frozen-over comfort that kept Ryou going. He just smiled.

"Where were you?" The white-haired teen asked. The brunette laughed bitterly and turned to him.

A pair of strong, warm arms wrapped around Ryou and pulled him into an embrace. He knew then that the news must be terrible. "I figured you would go away forever... just like the rest of them,"his eyes shown sadly, "but tell me where you were?"

"You'll never forgive me, but do you really want to know, Angel?" Seto asked.

Angel. On that horrible day so many years ago, Ryou had shed so many tears, that the three left behind with him dubbed him a newly fallen angel. From then on, the nickname had always been his. They had all taken pride in protecting a fallen angel. Until one day, two were gone and one remained.

Ryou nodded against his shoulder.

"I need a place to hide out," he murmured. So he was avoiding the subject? Ryou frowned and then nodded again, burying his face in the hollow where neck met shoulder.

"Don't leave me behind again, ok?" He was terrified of being alone all over again. He clung tightly to the blue-eyed man in front of him.

"Are you afraid I might not be real?" Seto questioned.

"I'm always afraid," he responded, "I'm wondering why you ask questions you already know the answers to." He shifted to look up, emerald eyes fixed in a curious stare. The brunette smiled sadly.

"Come here," he demanded softly. He released Ryou from the embrace, grabbing hold of his hand and tugging him towards the mattress. Leaving the white-haired teen standing there, he quietly closed the door and returned to the mattress. He fell back onto it, dragging Ryou down with him to land on his lap. "You've have some explaining to do. I want to know everything."

He figured it would be something like that. And he wasn't surprised when he felt fingers run across his bruises. Seto was making him comfortable enough to talk. He always loved that feeling of being understood and at peace. It happened quite rarely.

"It's not just anemia anymore," Ryou began gently. "It's Panic Disorder."

Silence. He felt Seto wrap his arms around him and smiled sadly. "You're mad. Because it's one more imperfection added to my list, right?"

"Why do you allow her to hurt you?"

It was a very good question. Maybe it was that fear made him feel real. Pain let him know that he was indeed there; not just half-asleep, taking refuge in a nightmare. Not just a porcelain doll, chipped and cracked. Eyes dead and body soulless.

"She outweighs me by a good eighty pounds. Really now, what do you expect?"

Seto grinned. "Don't lie to me."

"You're doing it again!" Ryou scowled, "You're asking a question you already know the answer to! Oh come on, don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not laughing," he winked. "So tell me something. Why this house? It was damn hard to track you down, you know."

"My dad thought the love of his life deserved a palace. He settled for this instead. She's happy, I think, as long as she doesn't have to do any work on it. I also think... she likes how many rooms it has. The thrill of the hunt for her imperfect stepson."

Seto understood what it meant right away.

"You're not imperfect, you know. Bakura saw it before anyone else did," he said tenderly. A cellphone began to ring then. Seto moved one arm from around him to pull it out of his pocket. "Hello?" He answered.

Ryou could hear something like shouting from whoever was on the line. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I MEAN IT!" The screaming continued, "WE NEED YOU BACK HERE NOW! YOU HEAR ME?! NOW! GET BACK HERE BEFORE I RIP OFF YOUR B--" The man on the other end was promptly cut off by an annoyed Seto.

"Alright," he muttered angrily before closing it. "He didn't have to be such an asshole." Seto looked down at the frail teen on his lap, who now sat there quietly. He leaned down and whispered in his ear, "I'll be back tomorrow, ok? Sometime during the night."

Ryou silently agreed. "Who was that?"

Seto slowly let Ryou go, standing up off the mattress and shoving his hands in his pockets. "Don't worry about it. Just go eat something, ok? You look like a twig, kid."

Ryou smiled bigly up at him and nodded his head enthusiastically. "If there's anything left."

Both eyebrows slanted upwards. "Yes, it's best not to get your hopes up, hm?" He was smiling again, faintly. "See you soon, Angel." That morning, Seto slipped out the window without a sound. Ryou couldn't help but smile. He stood up and walked over to the bedroom door, twisting the knob and opening it. No sound.

He checked the kitchen to find a mess of dishes left on the table and a note taped to the counter by the sink. A note was scrawled on it in barely legible handwriting, unmistakably his father's. 'Be back later,' it read, 'Left twenty dollars for food. Use it! -Dad'

He noticed the second note. One, single, beautifully written word.

'Starve.'

Well that explained it. Stepmother had snatched up the money before they had gone out. And he found himself grinning. He'd rather die of starvation anyway. He spent the rest of the morning and afternoon thinking and sleeping. What a wonderful feeling, to be lazy and blissfully alone.

"How do you think he's going to take the news?"

Seto slowly closed the window and smiled... happily. "It's going to kill him. From the inside out. But we'll do our part, right?"

"Right."

* * *

(A/R: His dream is in first person POV. Just 'cause I think it helps. And any strange dreams from here on out will be in his POV.)

_I dreamed, I think. A trivial dream that I didn't understand. Not until much later._

I was in the part of the dream where I happened falling. An endless drop, into complete and total nothingness. My limbs felt... heavy, my mind dull. Somebody is whispering, assuring me that I'll never hit the ground.

"Do you want to hear a story, Ryou?" How... did this happen? Someone's holding me now... and I'm more at peace then I've ever been. Happier to be held, even if only in a dream. Then again, why not enjoy the things that provide comfort?

I nod shortly, eyelids drooping heavily. I can only hear breathing and the perfect silence surrounding me. Us. That deep, husky voice whispers to me and those arms cradle me gently, fondling my porcelain soul. The warmth I can feel seeps through to my core; a place no amount of heat could ever reach. A place that has never been touched.

"The very essence of warmth is lulling you to sleep, is it not?" Yes. "Do you want to know why?" Why? Why do I feel like crying? Why can't I stop the tears now like I've done before?

"At one point in time," it begins, "there was a great mass of butterflies, claiming the forests of earth. Beautiful creatures that worked as if they were mechanical. But one, by chance, was defiant."

I smiled sadly, burying my nose in the hollow of neck and shoulder before me. This is my dream. I'm going to finally hear a story with a happy ending. "And this butterfly did indeed possess a brilliant, free heart," it continues. "Yet, without his brothers to protect him, he was vulnerable and afraid; something no butterfly had ever experienced. It believed in the wonder of being free, no matter how frightening things became."

"What did this butterfly do?" I ask softly. I can hear the soft chuckle, I can feel the way the body holding me shakes with contained laughter.

"Dearest Ryou, it explored and learned the ways of the world! It learned the world's secrets, and all the greatest treasures were revealed. It survived on it's own. A splendid way to live, don't you think?"

I nod again. But no... something is wrong. What is the change I hear in its voice? I'm suddenly feeling frozen, down to the very bone. No... Don't...

"Although, this butterfly grew to feel terribly alone. All the admiration never touched his heart, all the knowledge in the world could not complete him. There was something missing. A piece yet to be put in to place."

Let me go. Please, let me go. The butterfly searched for love, but I don't think I can take it if I'm told that it ends in heartbreak. No. No, this is all in my head, right? I... Please, I need a happy ending. I need to know that they exist.

"On a beautiful spring day, the butterfly found a spider's web. Now, even in his travels, he had never taken the time to study such an intricate design. Flying closer, he examined it, captivated. Then, the spider returned. Quickly, the butterfly flew away. Later on, day after day, he returned to watch the spider, fully aware that it did indeed know of his presence."

I can't breathe, my body is shivering violently. God, why?! I'm... going to die. It hurts so much...

"Finally, the spider grew tired of this. A plan formed in its head. He made sure the butterfly was watching, and suddenly fell from the trees. The spider had been right. The butterfly flew down and made sure the spider landed on its back."

The tears are flowing like rivers now, the only think making me aware that I am indeed still alive. My chest heaves for the air it lacks.

"'How did you know I would catch you?' The butterfly asked. The spider seemed all knowing. 'You love me, do you not?' From then on, the two found love. The butterfly's brothers shunned him for loving such an imperfect, ugly creature. How blind they were. But one day, an argument broke out between the butterfly and the spider. The spider was hiding something vital from its love."

"STOP! STOP, PLEASE!" I cough and hack helplessly, held in place by the immovable arms wrapped around me. The porcelain is cracking.

"The spider bit down into the butterfly's wing, fangs sinking into the wonderful design. Upon removing them, the spider simple said as the butterfly lay dieing, 'I've poisoned you, for with you I am disgusting in comparison. I'm not going to tarnish your beauty anymore.' The butterfly lived on, while the spider disappeared..."

I'm suddenly falling again, devoid of warmth or happiness. That voice whispers to me once more. "What kind of poison was it, Ryou? You know the answer. Tell me what kind of poison it _is_."

"The poison that eats at my heart," I sob. "The poison of being frigid and alone..."

_I don't want to be alone anymore._

* * *

One heart-wrenching, terrified scream ripped from his throat, shocking the person who was half-way through the window into falling through it. Quickly standing up and regaining his composure, Seto looked down at the shaking form that was Ryou, breathed, "Shit," in a very quiet and controlled tone, and rushed over to shake him awake.

"Ryou! Come on, kid, wake up!" It wasn't any good. Instead, he opted for gathering the shaking bundle into his arms. Doing so, he sat down on the mattress and wrapped his arms carefully around the fragile boy, helping battle the horrible shaking. "It's alright... you just need to wake up," he murmured.

His eyes suddenly shot open, breath coming in choppy pants. "Hey, calm down! It's alright now!" Seto said sternly, causing the teen to stay still then.

"The butterfly..." Seto looked at him incredulously, wondering if he wanted to know or not. "It was a dream. Just a dream..."

This sent Ryou into a fit of almost silent sobs and hiccups. He buried his head into the older man's chest carefully, soaking it with new tears. "It was supposed to be my dream, all in my head; but the ending to the story wasn't happy! Why?! Why couldn't it stop hurting for once?!" Ryou bordered hysteric at this point. Steo frowned.

"I don't know why. I just don't know."

* * *

An hour or so later, Seto had forced some food into Ryou along with a pill, making sure he was fine before he left. Now, Ryou sat on the couch in the living room as he waited for his parents' return. They hadn't even moved the furniture in yet and they were already blowing work off!

It didn't matter, he decided. Still, he twitched nervously. When he heard the car door slam, he jumped in surprise. Only one door? Was it only his father that had come home? Would he even get so lucky? It was highly doubtful.

"Ryouuuu!" A disgustingly sweet voice cooed from the entryway. His eyes widened. No. It couldn't be. Had only his stepmother come home?

Indeed. The red-haired woman tromped into the living room, a scowl on her face. The one that says, 'I've got another reason to be angry with you already! Aren't I a go-getter?!' "Yes, m-ma'am?"

"Your father is fixing a problem with the movers. The assholes seemed to have issues," she stuck her nose in the air, acting stuck-up and elegant. Ryou didn't suspect elegant people said 'assholes' on any kind of basis (yet, he could've been wrong considering he had yet to meet anyone of the sort).

She smirked and trudged over, heels clacking heavily on the hardwood floor and making the planks groan under the pressure. Much to his displeasure, he got a close up of exactly what she was wearing. A plaid skirt that reached mid-thigh (it looked ready to rip at the seams), a pair of nylon stockings (he spotted a large split in the one covering her right leg, running from the knee up), a pair of black heels (he wondered how she had fit into them, her feet were nearly bursting out of those as well), and a very, very tight black shirt that fit every curve (every large and bulging curve, anyways).

(A/R: Oh my god that was fun to write. I had to make her unlikable and this is how I pictured the OC stepmother witch.)

He gulped. "Did you get my notes, sweetheart?" Notes? He blinked. He only got a note.

"Notes?" He asked.

Her make-up caked face dropped into another ugly scowl, bringing out the deep wrinkles she hadn't succeeded in covering up with powder. "Oh Ryou, don't tell me you didn't get the one to clean the house? I thought I made it _perfectly_ visible."

He cringed. No, no, no, no, no, no...

Within seconds, he found himself sprawled out on the hard floor, the side of his head stinging unbearably. And she smiled. Without mercy, she kicked him.

"I expected a clean house, boy."

Again. He screamed, finger nails clawing at the wooden planks beneath him. The tears pooled in the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill.

"I ask you to do one simple thing and you refuse!"

A third time. He rolled over onto his back from the force of it, shuddering as he tasted the metallic essence filling his mouth.

"How could you be so horrible to me?!" She screeched, aiming a well-placed kick higher this time. It hit his ribs. Coughing and spluttering, Ryou was lifted from the ground to look into her narrowed, furious green eyes. "I'll teach obedience to you yet," she smirked. Letting him drop, it continued this way.

"Does it hurt, Ryou?! HUH?! DOES IT?!"

Again. And again. And again.

_The butterfly lived on, while the spider disappeared..._

He couldn't think properly anymore. Could he ever? Another long, jagged crack was placed in the porcelain. A scar.

And he smiled soullessly. The story was all wrong. It's the butterfly who no longer needed the spider. The butterfly flew away, leaving the spider to die. The remaining hope is destroyed and its life dwindles. Eventually, the spider dies. He dies, infected with a butterfly's poison.

Ryou waits to see the butterfly again, before his death.

* * *

Author Rant: Good God I'm messed up in the head. This was angst, angst, and more angst, y'know? Sorry it took so long. That seems to be how it works. I put it off for a while and then write a whole chapter in a few hours. Ah well, go figure. Anyways, review replies! That was quite a few reviews! Thanks all!

Tsucci-chan: Kura! Be nice! Yes, my friend, I agree. They are cute as hell together, quite frankly. Many thanks for the super review!

Terri: YAY! Sad is also what I was going for! Aha, and I'll keep it going! Even though it takes me a strangely long time to update!

DojomistressAmbyChan: Nope, the first sentence flew way the hell over my head! And yes, I know how the stepmother will be taken care of. Eventually. Bwaha, are you sure it's Bakura? And I'm sorry the update was so... late. It's just how weird I am. And yes, I do plan on this being yaoi. Thanks for the review, peace!

Pork Steak the Grande: HA! IT'S DONE, DAMMIT! AT LAST! ... Aheh... Yeah. Anyways, yippee! The sadness will turn to happiness, though not for a while yet! I've still got a big plot twist to throw in! Anyways, much love and peace out. Here's the update, thanks for the review!

Dark Magician Girl / Hikaru: Bwahaha, it's not Bakura! -falls over- Don't hurt me. And why Ryou is taking pills is explained in this update, so yup! It's pretty complicated how messed up I've made him! O.o The house would look good once fixed up I suppose, which is the plan. -dies- Ok, I think I got all the questions answered? Things will get better for Ryou eventually! Promise! Anyways, hope ya enjoy the update!

Mou Hitori no Akari: Nooo! -steals back- Sorryness, but has a lot of work to do yet, y'know? But, I'll make things right! Sometime! And damn... I was thwapped with a barstool. x.o That'd be a first. Here's the update. Thank ya for the review!

Kasbaka: Yaaay! Another person saying it's good! Many donuts and hugs for you! Thank you so much!

FantabulousWatapon: Haha, yes! But, I need her for the rest of the story, so don't strangle her just yet! And dude, pink because Ryou was extremely cute and feminine when he was little like that. I needed a soft, meaningful color. And for more reasons than one, which will also become clear later I guess. Thank you! Laters!

Chelley Angel: Woop! Another awesome reviewer! Thank you much!

Hyacinthus: Meh, the first chapter could've been better, but oh well. Thank ya for the compliment! Here's the update, see ya later!

VampssAmby10210: Lol, I expect a word for what my fic is sometime. Nah, just kiddin'. Awesome does just fine! Sorry for the lateness, but here it is!

BxRis-the-BEST!!: WOOHOO! Totally awesome that you loved it! Thanks for the review, here's the late as hell update!

DemonicMistress Kree-kun: Many thanks, extremely happy that you loved it! Peace!

Elle-Fate2x1-2: THIS is what's going to happen. -points up- Bwaha. It's all angst. But, thanks for the review! I'm totally happy you thought it was great! Over and out!

Word Count: 3410


	4. Mismatched

They Tell Me I'm Not Alone

By Riyu Lunin

(Apologies at the end.)

Chapter 4: Mismatched

* * *

_I remembered vaguely how it felt to be warm, happy... and at peace with myself. Even in such a hazy state, I felt something akin to wonderful. Finally, it felt like the weight was removed from my shoulders and I could breathe easily again. And that was when I knew something wasn't right. Nothing ever works that way._

Warmth...

Contentment...

Twisting long, slender fingers in the sheets around him, Ryou began to realize that there was something desperately wrong here. His long, flowing white hair was limp with sweat, clinging to his flushed face as he continued the blind exploration with his fingers. The pillows that cradled his neck felt cool and unfamiliar, ranging from suede to satin. He writhed in deep, sleepy happiness as he buried himself farther in the crisp sheets, finding it rather hard to come to any conclusion. All he knew at the moment was that it felt _good_, and that he never wanted to have to move again.

_I never could've imagined the horror of what happened to me._

"Ryou?" A pitying voice murmured.

He recognized that voice, or at least he thought he did. It tried again, calling his name in a cautious tone. Ryou wrinkled his nose in confusion, listening to that deep, caring voice hit such a sad note. Opening his eyes to see who it was, he was met with a most horrifying sight.

Nothingness. Desolate, frightening nothingness.

It took him a moment to realize what this meant. He couldn't _see_! Panicking, he bolted upright, hands clenched in the sheets. No, that couldn't be right! Of all things, he had to be completely defenseless without sight?! A hand rested on his shoulder, and he scrambled away, falling onto the floor with a thud and lying there in a scared type of confusion.

_I felt alone. Frightened. Lost. Helpless. I thought of little else except how to get away._

"Ryou, stop!" The voice began more stern, losing its caring pitch. This is all that Ryou expected. Once they got angry, he got hurt. When a pair of hands cupped his face, he whimpered and backed away at a furious speed, eventually slamming into a corner. He had nowhere else to go. Hugging his knees tightly to his chest, he turned into the corner, closing his eyes. Tears leaked out and trailed down his face, despite their being shut.

"P-Please..." he whispered. "I'm sorry f-for whatever I did. Just please..."

He shuddered violently as a pair of arms locked around him from behind, gently pulling him away from the wall. Lacking the necessary strength, emotional and physical, to fight back, he begged quietly to be let go. Small, insignificant nothings about being sorry and scared.

"Shh..." Those long arms refused to let him go, the same voice whispering comfort that Ryou refused to hear. "You expect the worst, when that which you cannot see is the one who vowed to protect you. I thought you trusted me?"

Ryou's body suddenly relaxed, disbelief and new relief plastered on his face. He knew who it was. Seto. He had been fighting against Seto this whole time. The one and only person left that was allowed to have his trust. The one and only person who held him like this and made it feel right. The one person whose heart beat beneath Ryou's ear at that very second.

He loved Seto. He needed Seto. (A/R: Go ahead, start assuming things. I'd like to take a second to allow you to throw tomatoes at me for doing this. -is pelted by hundreds of rotten, gross tomatoes- Ok, now... let's continue.)

_I realized then that I needed him to help me forget. Because it hurt._

"Why... can't I see anything?"

The silence was tangible then. Finally, after sighing deeply and resting his head on Ryou's own, Seto answered: "Temporary blindness. It should be fixed within a day or so."

"Why?" Ryou asked. Seto seemed a little bit pleased that he was taking it so well, loosening his grip slightly.

"Well, you took a pretty nasty blow to the head, kid. They needed to salvage your sight, thus, the surgery did this." Yeah, something like that, he noted. He had stormed into the office, waved a rather large wad of money in front of the doctor, and told him to get his ass in gear or he would put several bullets in his skull. Then again, Ryou didn't need to know that.

He also didn't need to know what had happened to his eyes as a result, and what it did to Seto.

"What's going to happen now?"

Ryou jumped as he felt the warmth of breathing near his ear, but he was still held tight. "It all depends on what you want. What do you want, Ryou?"

"... Sleep," he murmured.

Seto chuckled. "You've been asleep for a good portion of the day. You're positive?"

"A good portion of the day?"

"Indeed. Well, you were awake before. Don't you remember?"

Ryou's pink, full lips turned down in something between a frown and a pout. "Not particularly."

"Well," Seto began, blue eyes contrite as he stared at the relaxed figure in his arms, "it's not a problem, really. Are you sure you want to go back to sleep?"

"Mm... yeah."

He smiled softly. "As you wish, my beloved vegetable(1)."

Ryou returned the smile. With this, Seto scooped him up into his arms, peeled back the already mussed covers, and deposited him in bed. Walking away, the fragile bundle beneath the blankets made a soft sound of protest.

"Please don't go..."

"My apologies, but I have no choice," he replied sadly. "Forgive me?" Ryou nodded into the pillow. Returning to the side of the bed, Seto smoothed back his silky bangs and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"I'm glad."

And like a child, Ryou was asleep.

_I didn't want him to go. I didn't think I could handle being alone in the dark again. Yet, you find the strangest comfort in the dark when you know someone is watching over you. Pain seems utterly impossible when all you can imagine are his arms wrapped around you. And your beloved pink necklace that is missing._

* * *

"So?" 

Seto was stretched out on a black loveseat, legs crossed at the ankles, peeling away at the cover of a cheap paperback novel. He looked up at the man who addressed him lazily, still picking at the paper that refused to tear away. "So?" he repeated.

"Did you tell him yet?"

"No."

The other looked smug. "God... I wonder _why_."

Seto regarded him with a tired expression. The paperback entitled _The Mammoth Book of Vampires_ was nearly devoid of it's cover, a white expanse where it had been removed, still attached by a corner. "I don't want to do this," he murmured.

"Well, you better make up your mind about telling Ryou whether lover boy is dead or ali-ve," he chirped, singing the last word in a shrill, off key tone.

"I can't."

"How come?"

"I just _can't_," he snarled, throwing the book across the room. It sailed over the other's head.

He just grinned, propping his feet up on the table. "He was missing something, was he not? I couldn't help but notice the lack of a piece of jewelry around his neck as he slept. It is strange, isn't it?"

Seto scowled, voice deeply lined with annoyance and spite. "What are you getting at?"

"I just think you are going a bit far in taking it from him. Does it hurt that much?"

"Oh... is it because you love him?"

"... Now would be a great time for the two of you to shut the hell up." Seto picked up another novel and threw it angrily. It smacked against one cream-colored wall, hitting it with a dull thud and falling to the wooden floor.

"Got it, boss."

With the two leaving the room, Seto was alone again, in some sort of emotional distress that he really _loathed_. He made a noise of frustration in the back of his throat, leaning back and folding his arms across his chest. This just couldn't get any more complicated. There was _no way_. He look dully at the stack of old books piled high on the glass coffee table, seriously considering whether to play a little target practice to calm his unbelievably frayed nerves, or maybe try to read.

He decided on the latter. And opening _The Eyes of the Dragon_ to a random page, he began to read. Though, skimming down the page, his eyes were grave. "'Oh, I would!" Thomas said eagerly. "I would! So will you stay? Please? If you go, I really will kill myself!-'" He flipped the page and scanned it, looking rather distressed. "'I'm going to die," he said, putting the glass aside. "I won't have to kill myself. My heart will just burst from fear.-'"

Seto slammed the book shut. Maybe reading wasn't the best thing right now. _Really, really_ not the best thing right now. He wondered why he had a pile of books there in the first place.

"Oh, if only you knew of the trouble you've caused..."

Then, a peculiar thing happened. His cellphone began to ring.

* * *

What seemed like days, but could've been hours, later, Ryou woke up. But this time, the warmth was sweltering, uncomfortable heat that made him sweat and breathe heavily through his mouth from his spot buried under several blankets. He shifted uncomfortably and tried in vain to squirm and shove his way out of the artificial cocoon, but failed miserably. Moaning sleepily, he began to roll over, and did so quite a few times. Then he fell off the bed. The 

blankets lay about his sprawled body, having come loose when he fell. Not the most graceful of landings, he thought wearily, but good enough.

His stomach growled noticeably and he cursed it. Nothing like waking up to hunger pains.

"You're impossible, you fucking whore! Get out of my house _now!_"

"I'm impossible?! Where _did_ you get that great sense of humor, Seto? I know that stupid little wench is here! He's all you could talk about for _weeks_!"

Ryou blinked curiously, craning his neck to face the direction in which it had come from. Who would be yelling? His nose wrinkled in confusion, he carefully crawled towards the noise, found it to be behind the door, and pressed his ear against it.

A woman. "Well, where is he? Where's the little bitch?!"

And Seto. "I told you to get the fuck out my house. Don't think for a second I'll hesitate to throw you down the stairs and kick your ass out, because, I assure you, I'll be _glad_ to._"_

The thumping of footsteps stopped. Heart beating strangely hard, Ryou backed away from the door, sitting there, staring into the same empty nothingness. The woman arguing with Seto seemed extremely upset. Hell, she seemed ready to explode at any moment. What he couldn't understand was _why_. Eyes opened clearly, he found it extremely frustrating now that he couldn't see anything.

There were a series of slams as, Ryou figured, she was throwing open doors, shouting obscenities as she went. Mind racked with thoughts and possibilities, he came to the most frightening of conclusions, one he truly didn't want to believe. He had come between Seto and his lover. He had caused problems for them. And most of all, Seto was paying for it. Feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness wash over him, he sat there in silence, wiping at his eyes with the sleeves that were so long they covered his hands. And he cried. Dry, soft sobs that made him laugh so hard he choked. Everything was his fault.

"Well here we are, Seto. The last door. I wonder what could be behind it? Want to take a guess?!"

"Don't open it..."

She stomped her heeled foot. "And why _not_?!"

"Because you won't like what you see."

"I can imagine why! Hiding him away like this! What were you _thinking_?"

That was the last straw. She growled in unbridled anger, twisted the knob, and threw the last door open so hard that the handle might've punctured the wall. She wasn't completely ready for what she saw.

"... I told you that you wouldn't like it," Seto sighed drearily, running a hand through his hair.

Her eyes were so wide they should've rolled right out of the sockets. What she saw could only be described as... as...

"M'sorry, Seto..." Ryou whispered between airy sobs.

Gorgeous. He wore a large, black, gossamer thin shirt that hung off one shoulder, the sleeves falling far past his hands, damp with tears. Face flushed and trailed with such tears, he radiated a sadness that innocence should never have to know. His alabaster skin made him look as though he had been created by a god, the chisel never slipping, and leaving it clear and beautiful as snow. In a word, he was beautiful. The most captivating, unnerving feature though...

"Are you happy now?" Seto snapped, pushing past her. He strode over and bent down, collecting the boy into his arms once again, telling him sweetly that it was alright. That things were going to be fine.

The last thing that shocked her were the boy's eyes. There were no words to describe... none. So lost and distant looking, she thought she was going to be sick. She ran from the house that day, hand clasped over her mouth. Heels clicking furiously on the paved driveway, she practically jumped into her car. Twisting the key, she put it in drive and screeched away, wasting no time.

"I'm really, really, really, really sorry," he sniffled. Before he could whisper another apology, a pair of fingers pressed against his lips, stopping him.

"It wasn't your fault in the first place. So chill out, ok? I think I liked you better as a vegetable than a crying mess," he chuckled, taking one of Ryou's hands, still hidden beneath the sleeves, and placing a kiss upon the knuckles. He then moved the hand to wipe away the lingering tears carefully. "You really should try to stop crying so much." Seeing Ryou looked rather depressed at this remark, he smiled. "Because it hurts to see you so sad."

"I wrecked everything between you and your l-lover, didn't I? How can you still be so casual?"

And Seto laughed. _Hard_.

"My _lover_? Ryou, I'd rather be impaled and burned alive. That woman is my brother's boss. _My_ partner in crime. She wasn't looking for you; she was looking for him."

* * *

Said woman was nearly five miles away at that point, speeding and weaving past cars at a Godforsaken speed. She had to get away. Those _eyes_. 

The eyes that stared at nothing. The mismatched colors that worked so beautifully together.

Pale blue and sparkling emerald.

* * *

A/R: Ha... ha... I apologize? No review replies. I really just wanted to get something out and apologize. This is one of those chapters that has to be there, and I'm really mad at myself for making it take two months. Horrible, right? Yeah, be mad. Scream, shout, yell, hurt me. I won't blame you. I just need to build up to where all this stuff comes together and forms the whole plot thing. 

And I actually think you'll really hate me for what I did to Bakura. Or what I'm going to do, anyways. He doesn't show up for a great number of chapters though! ... I think.

And yeah. I haven't died, though I'm sure a good portion of you want me to. Looking back on how I've written this whole thing, I hate it. A lot. I'm going to put out something new, while still adding to this. Eventually. Anyways, yeah. Flame me for being a complete dork. I really don't mind. Bye for now!

(1) Could be referred to as a person that sleeps in a coma-like state. Thus, yeah.


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